West Virginia University’s Upward Bound program could reinvest as much as $5,700 into its services thanks to a sponsorship from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program.

Through the food service program, income-eligible students attending the six-week residential portion of the Upward Bound program – which begins Sunday June 26 – will receive free meals.

Upward Bound will receive reimbursement from the USDA for the meals given out—approximately $1.85 for breakfast, $3.24 for lunch and $3.24 for dinner – which could add up to as much as $5,700, according to Upward Bound Director Fran Bennett.

“The money that we save by using the food service program will go directly back into the Upward Bound Summer Program to provide our students with more opportunities, and increased services,” Bennett said. “We also feel that the food service program will provide a strong foundation for our students to develop healthy eating habits.”

In order to receive the reimbursement, the meals must meet certain nutritional criteria. Each meal must have a certain amount of milk, fruit, vegetable, grain and meat products. For a list of the complete guidelines, visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/summer.

Hatfields in the Mountainlair and Full Bowl Catering at the Gaskins House will provide the meals.

A federally-funded TRiO program, Upward Bound is designed to help high school students overcome social, academic, cultural and class barriers to higher education.

WVU Upward Bound serves students in ninth to 12th grades from Clay-Battelle High School, Grafton High School and Preston High School. For more information on Upward Bound, visit http://upwardbound.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

6/15/11

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CONTACT: Frances Bennett, Upward Bound
304-293-6199, Fran.Bennett@mail.wvu.edu